A Year of Strategic Serendipity…https://yearofserendipity.wordpress.com
"Find out who you are and do it on purpose." ~Dolly PartonMon, 10 Apr 2017 04:44:17 +0000enhourly1http://wordpress.com/https://s2.wp.com/i/buttonw-com.pngA Year of Strategic Serendipity…https://yearofserendipity.wordpress.com
Come on Over!https://yearofserendipity.wordpress.com/2013/05/24/come-on-over/
Fri, 24 May 2013 14:31:03 +0000http://yearofserendipity.wordpress.com/?p=5204]]>I have a new post up on the NEW SITE!!!! Come by and check it out!

Now that the new site’s up, I won’t be posting anything exciting here. Update your bookmarks and feed readers to follow me at my new home!

]]>vintagevioletIt’s ALIVE!https://yearofserendipity.wordpress.com/2013/05/22/its-alive/
Wed, 22 May 2013 14:26:19 +0000http://yearofserendipity.wordpress.com/?p=5195]]>The brand spanking new self-hosted Year of Serendipity site is now LIVE!!!

I’m still working out migrating e-mail followers and a few other kinks, so I apologize if you receive multiple posts… (and if you have any other issues, let me know at karen@yearofserendipity.com) but I’m so excited to get this new site and design up and running! If you follow me with a reader like feedly, make sure you switch over to the new feed!

I hope to see you over at my new home!

]]>vintagevioletYOS-new-siteBrimfield Eye Candyhttps://yearofserendipity.wordpress.com/2013/05/21/brimfield-eye-candy/
Tue, 21 May 2013 14:30:37 +0000http://yearofserendipity.wordpress.com/?p=5183]]>Brimfield has such an amazing collection of amazing stuff of all proportions. (Did you see me haul in yesterdays post?)

If I was a photographer, I could just spend the day taking pictures of history, pre-styled vignettes, and bizarre oddities.

How amazing are these doors??

I would love to see a toddler riding this, but it would lose character if someone restored it.

Dapper or creepy, I really can’t decide.

Remember how I mentioned the bizarre conglomeration of items for sale?

Dad was endlessly amused by this one-armed-bandit… literally

I so wanted to adopt these chairs for my porch… but not for $500. Don’t you worry, though I have a replacement up my sleeve.

This was definitely my favorite pic of the day.

My attempt at photography was even captured by the other photog (Handy Dad)

So have I inspired you to check out the Brimfield Antiques Flea Market next time around? (July!)

]]>vintagevioletbrimfield-doorsbrimfield-trikeBrimfield-mannequinbrimfield-dinoBrimfield-one-armbrimfield-chairsbrimfield-rouletteBrimfield-photogWhat a Hoot!https://yearofserendipity.wordpress.com/2013/05/20/what-a-hoot-2/
https://yearofserendipity.wordpress.com/2013/05/20/what-a-hoot-2/#commentsMon, 20 May 2013 14:44:30 +0000http://yearofserendipity.wordpress.com/?p=5166]]>Sorry for my lack of post on Friday- I got a little overexciting about getting up early to go to Brimfield and I totally forgot to blog. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me eventually. Maybe this picture of me with the Jolly Green Giant will help. (check out those amazing industrial storage units behind us!)

So, Brimfield. Going to Brimfield each year is like going to an amusement park for me. Lots of crazy characters to watch (with the exception of ourselves of course), some awesome stuff for sale, some beyond ridiculous stuff for sale, and amongst all that is the challenge of trying to snag some amazing deals.

Since I still always get the question “What’s Brimfield?”, Brimfield is the largest outdoor antiques flea market. It takes place 3 times a year in the tiny town of Brimfield MA and there are over 6,000 dealers set up on either side of a mile stretch of rt 20. It’s treasure-hunters Meca.

And amazing deals I did get! My haul includes:

Metal sphere: $20. I plan to add plants to the inside of this as an awesome architectural feature for my porch or patio.

Child’s shoe mold: $4.

I also got an amazing deal on a gift for someone, but since I don’t want to spoil the surprise, all I’ll say is that I love cool vintage pieces for awesome prices (shocker!).

My absolute favorite find everyone else thinks I’m completely nuts for even buying. Before I show you, there’s a back story. For more than three years, I’ve been drooling over one of the owl cookie jars from Anthropologie. Not long after discovering that jar, I found out that it’s a reproduction of a vintage piece from the 40s. So why buy a new repro when I can dream of owning an original? Over two years ago at a tag sale, I spotted the coveted hooter, but the price was higher than I wanted to pay- and I’ve been wishing I had just sucked it up and bought it ever since. Brimfield to the rescue!

Let me set the stage: I went with the parents and it was the end of a long day out in the sun and dust, we were losing steam fast. Out of the corner of my eye I spotted him, blurted out “I know what I’m buying” and beelined across the isle and picked up the cookie jar. By the time my parents caught up, I was already haggling with the vendor. Originally priced at $150, it had already been slashed down to $75 and I got her down another $10. The vintage 40s Shawnee winking owl cookie jar also came with 3 (?) matching salt and pepper shakers for $65. My parents thought he was hideous and I already knew Hubs would agree- he’s scoffed at the Anthro one as long as I’ve drooled over it. But I don’t care what they think, he’s awesome and makes me grin ear to ear!!!

The shakers on the other hand, I do find creepy, so they’ll probably be finding themselves listed on e-bay. They have shifty eyes and I don’t trust them.

Since Hubby’s convinced that my beloved owl’s going to come to life and haunt him (crazy boy), I’m sparing him by keeping the owl in my office. I’m secretly (or not so secretly now) hoping the owl will grow on him and eventually it can migrate to another room. eventually. maybe. doubtful. Oh well, I’m still so excited about this owl!!! AND the deal that I got for him!

I’ll pop in tomorrow for a rare Tuesday post and share some cool Brimfield pictures from Handy Dad and me. If I put them all in today, this post would never end. It’s already a bit long since I’m apparently rather long-winded. It’s part of my charm, I hope.

So do you love my vintage owl as much as I do, or do you think it’s creepy like apparently every one else does??

Our tiny front porch always escaped the project list since it was in decent shape. Until now. The floor is suddenly (or not so suddenly) in desperate need of new stain and there are spots on the trim where wood rot is daring to show it’s face. Really, the porch decided to put itself on this summer’s to-do list. It was sick of being neglected.

I haven’t yet tackled this project since the weather is still flip flopping from gorgeous to cold (make up your mind New England!), but I’m working on the plans.

Hubs still thinks nothings wrong with the porch. I, however, know once I spruce the porch up a bit, Hubby will see what it could have been all along.

My plans for this space include

new seating for 2 (either 1 bench or 2 smaller chairs)

side table- most likely a ceramic pop of color

new light

repaint trim & ceiling

stain floor

new mailbox or mailbox makeover

I’ve been keeping my eyes open for the perfect seating. Nothing yet, but once I find the seating, I think it’ll catapult the rest of the space forward. Maybe I’ll find some gems for the porch at Brimfield this week!